Draft gear with swivel coupler



y 1, 1956 A. G. DEAN RAFT GEAR WITH SWIVEL COUPLER 4 Sheets-Sheet lv Original Filed Nov. 30, 1949 INVENTOR lberr (1 Dean ATTORNEY A. G. DEAN 2,743,821

May 1, 1956 DRAFT GEAR WITH SWIVEL COUPLER Original Filed Nov. 50, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR A TTORNE Y w n I May 1, 1956 A. e. DEA N DRAFT GEAR WITH SWIVEL COUPLER Original Filed Nov. 30, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 I m l I l u IN VEN TOR. 4 lbefi 0'. Dean.

A TTORNE) y 1956 A. G. DEAIINI 2,743,821

DRAFT GEAR WITH SWIVEL COUPLER I "1,1,", I I 1 1,11,,

INVENTOR. 4 lber? CI. Deam ATTORNEY United States Patent DRAFT GEAR WITH SWIVEL COUPLER Albert G. Dean, Narberth, Pm, assignor to The Budd Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a'corporation of Pennsyb vania Continuation of abandoned application Serial No.

130,161, November 30, 1949. This application Novemher 4, 1952, Serial No. 318,658 j 16 Claims. (31. 213-46) ing a simplified, rugged, and'eiiicient mechanism,- Another object is to provide a draft gear arrangement incorporating certain desired features in combination between the draft gear pocket construction and the gear which it houses, whereby asirnplified construction is made possible and the gear-can bemade shorter and lighter but still capable of use with tight-locked couplers associated therewith.

With tight-locked couplers there are considerable swivel movements, including vertical movements, and in some prior constructions these movements have been accommodated by Cardan type joints between. the shank and yoke. According to the present invention such movements, particularly the vertical ones, are accommodated by providing angular movement of the draft. yoke and a twisting action of the cross-bar of the yoke between the spring units, one of the spring units being carried by the yoke in its swinging movement, While guides may be provided to hold. the spring units in alignment on opposite sides and to minimize Wear.

These and other objects and the manner in which they are attained will become clearly apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment, when read in connection with the drawings forming a part of this specification.

In the drawings: I

Fig. l is a plan view of the draft gear arrangement showing associated parts of'the car underframe, the lower half being a horizontal sectional view with the section taken substantially along the line 11 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a vertical central longitudinal sectional view through the draft gear pocket showing the draft; gear in normal place therein, the gear itself being shown in side elevation, and the section being taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Fig. l; v

Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view of the. pocket and draft gear, the section being taken substantiallyalong the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 2, except that the draft gear itself is also shown in section, the section being taken substantially along the line- 44 of Fig. 1;

Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8 are transverse sectional views, the sections being taken substantially along the lines 5-5, 6-6, 7-7, and 88, respectively, ofFig. l;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary side elevational view 'of the car underframe in the vicinity of the draft gear pocket, showing part of the draft gear in full lines,but most of the draft gear in dotted lines; 7

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary, longitudinal'sec'tional view,

2,743,821 Patented May 1, 1956 generally similar to Figs. 2 and 4, but the section in this case being taken substantially along the line 10-10 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 11 is a detail sectional plan view, the section being taken substantially along the line 11-41 of Fig. 2.

The draft gear pocket of the car underframe, designated generally 10, is preferably formed as a welded structure comprising spaced draft sills 11 and 12 of generally Z-section forming the side walls of the pocket, the top arms of the Zs being interconnected by an inverted channel section plate 13 which tapers downward inwardly until the bottom of the channel lies (Figs. 2 and 4) substantially in the horizontal plane of the top arms of the Zs at the inner end of the draft gear pocket. The top arms of the Zs are still further interconnected by a plate 14, Figs. 2, 7, and 8, which at its outer end extends forwardly some distance along the draft gear pocket and at its inner end extends beyond the inner end of said pocket, Fig. 2.

The outer ends of the draft sills and the channel reinforcement 13 are all connected, as by welding, to an end sill structure designated generally by the reference character 15. This end sill structure includes a hanger 16 having a large opening 17 therein for the passage of the coupler shank 18. To allow for thelateral and vertical movement of the coupler shank, this opening is laterally and vertically widened, and the outer ends of the draft sills are outwardly inclined M11 and 12 and connected to the hanger at opposite sides of the opening 17, see Fig. 3. t

At the bottom of the hanger there is provided a channel-section transverse coupler carrier member 18 in which is disposed a suitable cushioned coupler carrier 18a which yieldingly supports the weight of the coupler shank and coupler at this point in a usual manner. Normally, the coupler shank is held by this carrier in the position'shown in Figs. 2 and 4, in which it is about centrally located, between the top and bottom of the opening 17.

As shown in Fig. 2, the lower edges of the draft sills taper upwardly from their outer ends inwardly through the draft pocket region, so that their bottom arms are upwardly and inwardly inclined. A strong abutment plate 18" is strongly secured to the draft sills 11 and 12 and forms the inner end of the draft gear pocket, the reinforced connection of this abutment to the sills strongly tying them together and enabling the bnlf forces to be transmitted from the abutment to the sills. The abutment 18" projects a short distance below the draft sills, see Figs. 2 and 4, and a removable bottom plate support 1 9 transversely connecting the bottom flanges of the draft sills forms the closed bottom of the inner end of the pocket and supports the inner end of the draft gear.

Longitudinally extending laterally projecting plates 20 are welded to the vertical webs of the draft sills 11 and 12 and form the top wall of the draft gear pocket. These plates are suitably braced by braces 21 and 22 welded to them and to the webs of the adjacent draft sills, see Figs. 2, 4, 7, and 10.

Referring to Figs. 2, 4, and 10, it will be seen that the inner portions of the plates 20 extend parallel to the bottom plate support 19 and with it form guide means of slightly greater depth than the draft gear received in this part of the pocket. From these inner parallel por tions the plates flare upwardly at 23 at the outer end for a purpose to be described later on.

Opposed to the inner abutment plate 18" is an outer abutment means formed by the draft lugs 24 strongly secured to the draft sills 11, 12 and defining the outer end of the pocket in which the-draft gear reaction means is housed.

'The draft 'gear coupler shank 18 carries a coupler and the shank at its inner end is pivoted through a vertical pin 26 to a yoke 27. The yoke has upper and lower arms 28, 29 and inner and outer end vertical portions 30, 30' embracing the outer or draft spring unit or cushion, designated generally by the letter D. The inner or spring unit or cushion, designated generally by the letter B, is interposed between the vertical portion 30 otthe yoke and the inner abutment plate 18".

spring units or cushions B and D are the usual of such units, being built up of metal plates 32 bonded to their opposite faces alternating with flat metal plates 33 interposed between them. The draft gear unit D has additionally a heavy outer e34 for engagement with the outer abutment or I lugs 24 and an inner plate 35 seated against the I pqftion 30 of the yoke. The buff spring unit B similarly heavier end plates 34 and 35' bearing yoke and the inner draft gear pocket abutment 1;", respectively.

when the parts are assembled, the rubber units are pleedlunder a substantial degree of precompression, the pteeompression tending to hold the yoke 27 vertically in the position shown in the drawings. T Went plates 36 and 37 are disposed along the top and arms of yoke 27 on their inner faces at the spring nfb the wear on the yoke. These wear'plates replaceable when necessary, without replacin the entire yoke.

Q plates 38 are provided on the supporting plate I to'take wear of the buffer spring unit B and parts fbelleathv the laterally extending shoulders 39, Pig; 7, 0n the yoke 27, which rest thereon. The upper cnd lower arms 28; and 29 of the yoke project vertically, respectively, above and below the draft gear pocket between the inwardly projecting plates 20 and the supporting plate 19.

. Asshownin Fig. 11, the supporting plate 19 is bifurted to clear the lower projection of yoke 27. The yoke hirthrough its shoulder 39 adjacent the outer 'Of the supporting plate 19, see Figs. 7 and 10, for

movement thereon in a vertical plane, i. e., generabout a horizontal transverse axis. This rocking inmement ispermitted by reason of the tapered outer end pocket, and is sufiicient to take care of the necesvertical swinging movement of the coupler shank, tightly coupled to an adjacent car coupler shank inthe normal operation of the cars.

, that the rubber cushion units are distorted and yieldswivel movement, always tending to return f'fyoketo its normal position shown in the drawings. t mounting of the yoke permits an important of the combined yoke and coupler. In the 'iltuatrated embodiment, it does away with the necessity ct providing a horizontal pivot hinge between the yoke and ehankiwhile at the same time permitting the necesshoulders 39 at the yoke and with the top and bottom of the draft spring unit D, they move with the yoke and spring D when the yoke is swung about its horizontal pivotal support on the shoulders 39. Since these plates preferably extend the entire length of the pocket between the buff abutment 18 and the draft abutment or draft lugs 24, their ends are rounded to avoid binding when the yoke is so swung vertically about a horizontal axis, as

' end portion 30 twists about a horizontal axis (or axes) movement against the restraint of the pre- I compressed blutt and draft spring units.

""To minimize wear between the sides of the draft gear pocket and the sides of the draft spring and the shoulders $9 of the yoke, a wear plate and draft spring unit retainkg and guiding plate 40 is provided on each side of s 1 learpocket. Each of these plates has inwardly 41, 42 at top and bottom which closely 1 the lateral shoulders 39 at top and bottom of extending arm 30 of the yoke and also top and-bottom of the draft spring unit D to hold the elements thereof in place. The inwardly extendin] flanges, 41 and .42 terminate at the shoulder 39, die narrow side extension 40 of the plate extends the abutment 18, Figs. 8 and 10.

- .flnee the plates 40 are, in effect, tied to the yoke 27 lnrl drlft epring Dcarried between arms 28, 29 thereof engagement of their flanges 41, 42 with the and squeezes the springs D and B apart against their abutments 24 and 18". This twisting movement of the plate-like end 30 tends to compress the upper and lower portions of the springs unequally and this provides a restoring force for the yoke. The buif spring D will be deformed in its fixed guides by this movement but the draft spring D will be swung at its outer end and its outer end plate 34 will tilt to fit the vertical faces of the abutments 24, thus similarly distorting the spring D. The spring D and the ends of the part 30 can slide longitudinally along the plates 40 as much as necessary, while the plates 40 retain the sides of both springs B and D in proper alignment. The ends of the plates, being rounded, can slide up and down between the abutments 24 and 18". The full depth of both springs Band D is thus always available for the required reactions in spite of the vertical swinging movement of the yoke.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been herein described in detail, it will be understood that changes and modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a draft gear arrangement, in combination, a railway car underframe having a longitudinally extending pocket to receive the gear, said pocket having inner and outer abutments, and a draft gear comprising an inner spring, a yoke, and an outer spring and being disposed in said pocket with the springs under precompression between pm yoke 27 18 so pivoted on us pp It Wm be said abutments and the yoke the yo e embracing the outer spring and having a vertically wide part at its inner end disposed between said springs, said inner end part of the yoke being supported on the bottom of said pocket for vertical swinging movement of its outer end, and the outer end of the pocket which receives the yoke and the outer spring being vertically flared to permit the vertical swinging-movement of the yoke about its inner end support, such swinging movement of theyoke being restrained by the springs acting against the wide inner end part of the yoke as it twists between the springs.

. 2. In adraft gear arrangement, in combination, a railway car underframe having side, top and bottom retaining walls enclosing a draft gear pocket, a draft gear abutment at the outer end of said pocket, a draft gear housed in said pocket and including a yoke and a pair of springs associated therewith, one of said springs being interposed under precompression between a transverse inner end portion of the yoke and the inner abutment, the other of said springs being interposed under precompression between said transverse portion of theyoke and the outer abutment, the inner end of the pocket receiving the inner spring between substantially parallel upper and lower walls, the inner end of the yoke being supported'by the bottom wall of the pocket for vertical swinging movement, and the pocket from approximately the inner end of the yoke outwardly to the outer abutment being vertically flared to permit vertical swinging of the yoke about its inner end support against the restraint provided by said precompressed springs.

3. In a draft gear arrangement, in combination, a railway car underframe having a draft gear pocket defined by lateral draft sills, an inner abutment for the draft gear, an outer abutment therefor, and top and bottom guiding walls for the gear secured to said draft sills, a draft gear inserted in said pocket and comprising an inner spring and an outer spring and a yoke encircling said outer spring and having an inner end transverse portion disposed between said springs, the inner spring being normally under precompression between the inner abutment and the transverse inner end portion of the yoke and the outer spring being similarly under precompression between the outer abutment and the transverse inner end portion of the yoke, the inner end of the pocket housing the inner spring having its top and bottom walls substantially parallel and spaced just sufficiently to receive said spring for movement in compression or expansion therein, the outer end of the pocket having its top wall upwardly inclined from its junction with the top wall of said inner end to allow vertical swinging movement of the yoke about its inner end portion which is supported on the bottom wall of the pocket, such vertical swinging movement being op posed by the precompressed springs resisting the twisting therebetween of the inner end portion of the yoke.

4. In a draft gear arrangement, in combination, a railway car underframe having a pocket to receive a draft gear between inner and outer abutments therein, said gear comprising an inner spring, a yoke, and an outer spring, the

pocket being vertically flared at its outer end to permit vertical swinging movement of the yoke about its inner end which is supported by the bottom of the pocket, the inner spring being disposed at the inner unflared end of the pocket and being held under precompresison between the inner abutment and the inner end of the yoke, the outer spring being embraced by the yoke and being held under precompression between the inner end of the yoke and the outer abutment, and side wear and guide plates extending from the inner abutment to the outer, the side plates having parts embracing the sides of the outer spring and the inner end of the yoke and being interposed between the sides of the pocket and said springs and yoke end, the inner ends of the side plates which flank the sides of the inner spring being of less height than the spring, and the ends of the side plates being rounded to permit the vertical swinging movement of the yoke without binding on the abutments.

5. In a draft gear arrangement, in combination, a railway car underframe having a pocket to receive a draft gear between inner and outer abutments therein, said gear comprising an inner spring, a vertically swingable yoke, and an outer spring, the inner spring being disposed at the inner end of the pocket and being held under precompression between the inner abutment and the yoke and the outer spring being embraced by and swingable with the yoke and being held under precompression between the yoke and the outer abutment, and side wear and guide plates carried by and slidably embracing the opposite sides of the yoke and the outer spring, said side plates extending between said abutments and being interposed between the sides of the pocket and said springs and yoke.

6. In a draft gear for a railway car underframe, a vertically swingable yoke, an inner spring and an outer spring, said springs each engaging by one of their ends only said yoke, said outer spring being embraced by and swingable with the yoke, and guide plates carried by and slidable relative to the opposite sides of the yoke and said outer spring and adapted to be interposed between the sides of said springs and yoke and the sides of a draft gear receiving pocket.

7. In a draft gear adapted to be received between inner car underframe, a vertically swingable yoke, an inner spring, an outer spring, said yoke embracing and swinging with it the outer spring and having a vertically wide transverse part disposed between the springs, wear and guide plates flanking the sides of the springs and extending between said abutments, said guide plates being carried by and slidable relative to the opposite sides of the yoke and the spring embraced thereby and having rounded ends.

8. In a draft gear arrangement, in combination, a railway car underframe having a longitudinally extending pocket to receive the gear, said pocket having inner and outer abutments, and a draft gear comprising an inner spring cushion, a yoke, and an outer spring cushion and being disposed in said pocket with the cushions under precompression between said abutments and the yoke, the yoke embracing the outer cushion and having a wide part at its inner end disposed between said cushions, said inner wide end part of the yoke being supported for swinging movement of its outer end, and the outer end of the pocket which receives the yoke and the outer spring being adapted to permit the swinging movement of the yoke about its inner end support, such swinging movement of the yoke being restrained by the springs acting against the wide inner end part of the yoke as it twists between the springs.

9. In a draft gear arrangement, in combination, a railway car underframe having side, top and bottom retaining walls enclosing a draft gear pocket, a draft gear abutment at the outer end of said pocket, a draft gear housed in said pocket and including a yoke and a pair of cushions associated therewith, one of said cushions being interposed under precompression between a transverse inner end portion of. the yoke and the inner abutment, the other of said cushions being interposed under precompression between said transverse portion of the yoke and the outer abutment, the inner end of the pocket receiving the inner cushion between substantially parallel walls spaced just sufficiently to receive said spring for movement in compression or expansion between them, the inner end of the yoke being supported for vertical swinging movement, and the pocket and the yoke from approximately the inner end of the yoke outwardly to the outer abutment being shaped to permit swinging of the yoke about its inner end support against the restraint provided by said precompressed springs.

10. In a draft gear arrangement, in combination, a railway car underframe having a pocket to receive a draft gear between inner and outer abutments therein, said gear comprising an inner spring, a swingable yoke, and an outer spring, the inner spring being disposed at the inner end of the pocket and being held under precompression between the inner abutment and the yoke and the outer spring being embraced by and swingable with the yoke and being held under precompression between the yoke and the outer abutment, and wear and guide plates carried by and embracing opposite sides of the yoke and the outer spring, said guide plates being slidable relative to said springs, extending between said abutments and being interposed between walls of the pocket and said springs and yoke.

11. In a draft gear of the type received between inner and outer abutments of a draft gear pocket in a railway car underframe, a swingable yoke, an inner spring and an outer spring engaging the yoke, said outer spring being embraced by and swingable with the yoke, and guide plates carried by and slidable relative to the opposite surfaces of the yoke and said outer spring when interposed between said surfaces and walls of adraft gear receiving pocket.

12. In a draft gear of the type received between inner and outer abutments of a draft gear pocket in a railway car underframe, a swingable yoke, an inner spring, an outer spring, said yoke embracing and swinging with it the outer spring and having a wide transverse part disposed between the springs, wear and guide plates provided on sides of the springs and extending between said abutments, said guide plates being carried by and slidable relapocket forlongitudinal movement only; said outer cushion unit being embraced by the yoke and being held under preeompression between the inner end of the yoke and I theouter abutment; said outer cushion unit and said yoke being held against transverse movement in a first plane while freetto swing transversely about the inner end oi: the yoke in a second plane perpendicular to said first 14; In a draft gear arrangement, in combination: a nihny car underframe having a pocket to receive a draft inner and outer abutments therein; said gearcomprising an inner cushion unit, a yoke, and an cushion unit; said inner cushion unit held under preeompression between the inner abutment and the inner end of the yoke and being guided between walls of said poeketfor longitudinal movement only; said outer cushion embraced by the yoke and being held under precompression between the inner end of the yoke and the outer abutment; said outer, cushion unit and said yoke held against transverse movement in a first plane while to swing transversely about the inner end of the-yok'e-Iin a second plane perpendicular to said first plane; a coupler shank pivotally connected to said yoke,

swingable in said first plane.

l5..In a draft gear arrangement, in combination: a railway car underframe having a pocket to receive a draft gear between inner and outer abutments therein; said gear comprising an inner cushion unit, a yoke, and an outer cushion unit; said inner cushion unit held under precompression between the inner abutment and .the innerend of the yoke and being guided between walls of said pocket for longitudinal movement only; said outer cushion unit being embraced by the yoke and being held under precornpression between the inner end of the yoke and the outer abutment; said outer cushion unit and said yoke being held againsttransverse movement in a horizontal plane while free to swing transversely about the inner end of the yoke in a vertical plane perpendicular to said horizontal plane; a coupler shank pivotally connected to said yoke, transversely swingable in said horizontal plane.

16. On a draft gear arrangement, in combination, a raiiway car underframe having a longitudinally extending pocket, said pocket having inner and outer abutments, and a draft gear in said pocket, a draft gear member connected with a coupler having a wide inner end support held againstthe action of a spring, said member being supported for swinging movement of its outer end about its inner end support interposed between one of said abutments and said end support, such swinging movement of the member being restrained by said spring acting against the wide inner end support.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,120,005 Westinghouse Dec. 8, 1914 2,208,338 Munro et al July 16, 1940 2,282,171 Dean May 5, 1942 

